Hard Rain
by Nine Bright Shiners
Summary: Dark Haymiss AU. Following a failed assassination attempt, Snow has tightened his control over Panem. Haymitch and Katniss struggle to survive in this harsh new world, where every choice that feels like freedom leads towards death.
1. Chapter 1

**Hard Rain**

 **I**

The telephone rings and they freeze, staring at each other.

He moves to answer it and she seizes his arm, holding him in place. 'Don't. It could be a trap.'

'They've known you're here since you stepped into the building. If they're planning a trap we're already in it.'

She lets him go, watching fearfully as he picks up the phone and lifts it to his ear.

'Yes?'

'Haymitch.' It's Peeta. 'They're on their way.'

Haymitch digests the news, feeling Katniss's gaze heavy on his face. 'Ok. Thanks for the warning.'

'I'm sorry – for everything.' Peeta lets out a choked breath. 'Tell Katniss goodbye.'

'I will. Goodbye, Peeta.' Haymitch puts down the phone, turns back to Katniss. 'He says they're coming. And he said to tell you goodbye.'

Her eyes fill with tears. So he knows she's here. 'Oh Peeta.'

He swallows. 'He shouldn't have called. Now they'll punish him too.'

He wishes he'd kept this last thought to himself as Katniss puts a hand to her mouth. But a moment later she lifts her head, eyes sad but quiet.

'He must have known that when he called. He put himself in danger for us.'

'He's a good man. Always was.'

She moves into his arms and he pulls her close, his hand stroking her hair. He remembers other moments they've spent together, their sweetness – and their sadness, because the moments are always snatched, never lasting more than a few hours. Now all he wants is to hold her quietly, to make this moment stretch out forever. It should have been theirs forever, repeated across years – not here in the police state of the Capitol, but in the Meadow in 12 while the birds are singing, or in front of the fire in her kitchen as Prim's orange cat crouches on the table.

A vehicle screeches to a halt in the street outside. He's tempted to go to the window, to watch the black-clothed figures piling out of the van, but he can't leave Katniss, not for a moment.

Her eyes find his. 'Now?'

He nods slowly, throat dry. 'Now.'

Slowly they walk hand in hand to the glass bowl on the table. The berries glint darkly in the lamplight, luscious and smooth-skinned.

One last kiss, a goodbye, but also a promise. They look at each other, eyes gleaming in the dark. Slowly, they raise the berries to their lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

It's raining, a rain so fine you can hardly see it. Drops of cold water glisten on her carefully arranged hair, on her veil and her bridal bouquet.

As he hands her into the car she's gripping his fingers so hard he thinks they'll snap. 'Don't leave – don't let me be alone –'

'Peeta will be there –'

' _Please –'_ A smile is frozen on her lips for the sake of the cameras flashing behind them – but her eyes stare at him in terror, and he knows he'll see them whenever he closes his eyes tonight.

He can feel the crowd starting to speculate behind him, wondering what the delay is, feel the dreadful silence at the heart of it all, where Snow is watching.

He pulls his hand away. 'You'll be fine. Now go.' And he closes the door on her and steps away, turning his back on her desperation.

Peeta appears, a smile on his lips, his eyes quietly helpless. As he starts to go around to the other side of the car Haymitch grabs his arm and pulls him close, his other hand planted firmly on the boy's back. To anyone watching it looks like the fond farewell of a mentor to the boy he's kept alive in the face of certain death. But his fingers are a little too tight around Peeta's arm, and he's not smiling.

'Look after her.'

Peeta nods, grim. 'I promise.'

'Tell her I'll protect her sister. Her mother.'

Peeta nods again. The shadow is still there, the shadow that's fallen across his clear eyes.

For a wild moment Haymitch wants to shove him aside, throw the driver out of the car and drive Katniss away, far away. But there's no place to hide. Not since Snow took 13 and doubled his surveillance methods.

'All right.' He steps away, watches Peeta climb in on his side. The car pulls away and he's unable to move, watching helplessly as it slides down the driveway and around a walled bend, out of sight.

* * *

 _A/N: Please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you._


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